The 63rd Annual General Meeting of the Dyestuffs Manufacturers Association of India (DMAI) and Awards Presentation function was held on Saturday, the 22nd June 2013 at Hotel Sea Princess, Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz(W), Mumbai.

Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Ex Chairman Atomic Energy Commission of India was the Chief Guest.Shri Indrajit Pal, Secretary, Dept. of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, GOI graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.More than 100 members of the Association with their spouses, special invitees, guests & other dignitaries and Press attended the meeting.

BUSINESS SESSION

In his brief address, President Shri Janak Mehta welcomed the members.While presenting the Annual Report for the year 2012-2013, Hon.Secretary, Shri Jitendra Patel highlighted the various activities of the Association as under:

-Representation to Customs about difficulties regarding clearance of shipment

-Submitted constructive proposal to GPCB for Centre of Excellence for Chemical Industry

Shri Ramesh Doshi, Hon.Treasurer thereafter presented the Audited Income & Expenditure A/C for the year ended 31-3-2013 and Balance Sheet as on 31-3-2013.

In the lively question-answer session that followed, the President Shri Janak Mehta clarified the various queries raised by members on issues like erratic supply of Urea, organizing seminars and conferences for actual users like textile, leather etc., by DMAI, image building exercise through the medium of DMAI NEWSLETTER etc. to the satisfaction of the members.

Shri Sanjay Thakur and Shri P.Mukherjee of Kotak Mahindra Bank and Shri.Shashinath of Mangalore SEZ Ltd., thereafter made power point presentation about their activities for the benefit of the members.

OPEN SESSION

Shri Ram Ajekar, Imm. Past President anchored the proceedings.

President Shri Janak Mehta, in his address, welcomed the gathering.He thanked Dr.Anil Kakodkar, Ex-Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India and renowned Atomic Scientist in our country for his participation as the Chief Guest despite his busy schedule.He also thanked Shri Indrajit Pal for having participated as the Guest of Honour.

Shri Mehta was full of praise for the colorant industry for having excelled and captured world market share of 16%, despite many odds.Our Association has submitted the Strategic Action Plan for Colorants Industry 2011-2020, whereby it is envisaged to capture 30% of the global market by 2020.Shri Mehta craved for the support and co-operation of our parent Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Dept. of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Govt. of India for achieving our ambitious export targets.

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While dwelling upon the problems faced by the colorant industry, Shri Mehta mentioned about a few issues like permission not being granted by the concerned authorities for expansion for our industry at places like Ankleshwar, Vapi etc. This has become counterproductive for our industry, Shri Mehta added.The industry remained stagnant for the last few years because of the Govt’s. rigid attitude.

Yet another problem the industry faces is availability of raw material, which is very precarious, inasmuch as intermediates are either not available or available at unaffordable prices Shri Mehta averred.Cost of intermediates has gone up exorbitantly in the recent past on account of mainly two main reasons – a) production in India has come down drastically and b) China intermediate manufacturers are now controlled by big China dyestuffs manufacturers.This situation is likely to worsen in future.Added to this, Anti Dumping duty on intermediates and chemicals has made matters worse. He urged upon the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to look into this issue on priority basis for speedy resolve.

Shri Mehta lamented about the stringent and impractical norms for pollution control imposed by the authorities for our industry.Before fixing norms, he suggested proper study on EIA should be carried out for compliance.He further stated that our Association has requested for financial grant from the Govt. for schemes like MDA, MIA to boost exports. This will go a long way in increasing our exports by giving financial assistance to units, especially under SMEs.

Another impediment the industry faces is involvement and regulatory compliance of multiple Govt. Depts. and agencies for doing business, Shri Mehta pointed out.There are about 100 such departments as per the information available with us.He stressed the urgent need for simplification of procedure in this regard.Shri Mehta further advocated for speedy introduction of GST. Regarding depreciation of rupee against dollar, he felt that though it is bringing larger smiles on the exporter fraternity, imports have become unaffordable, which is not at all healthy one for the economy.He concluded that the Dept. should look into all these aspects, so that the industry would be able to achieve the set targets.

Both Dr.Kakodkar and Shri Indrajit Pal thereafter presented the Annual Awards to the recipients from the industry for the year 2012-2013 for excellence in several fields like Performance in the exports of Dyestuffs, Pigments, Optical Whitening Agents, Domestic Market, Pollution and Safety and Hazards Control Management under various categories. Dr.S.K. Bhumgara, member of the Awards Committee declared the award winners under each category.Citation was also conferred on the technical awardees.As per the past tradition, cash prize of Rs.7500/- each with a trophy sponsored by our member units and certificate were also presented to the students of ICT, Mumbai, who had topped their respective classes for 2011-2012.

At the outset, Shri Indrajit Pal, in his address, thanked DMAI for inviting him to participate in the AGM as the Guest of Honour.He congratulated the award winners from both the industry and academia.While making a reference to the history of the Association from its very inception way back in 1950, Shri Pal was happy that the Association has been in the forefront in solving the problems faced by the Industry through healthy interaction with the Govt. Depts., particularly Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers.The industry is instrumental in value adding to the final products from a wide range of industries like textile, leather etc.Nonetheless, the consumption of colorants is a meager 50 gms as against 400 gms in the global trade.There is hence enough scope for expansion of the business world wide.The industry should take this as an opportunity to grow, Shri Pal emphasized.It should also modernize and utilize the optimum capacity with upgradation of technology.

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Shri Pal further stated that he had taken note of the various issues brought out to his notice by the Association.He stressed the inevitable need for investment in R&D to ensure quality of the final products from the colorant industry to match foreign standards taking into consideration new process available in food and similar applications.Care should be taken to protect human life and the environment, which is of paramount importance.

While confessing the decline of supply chain of intermediates from HOCL, Shri Pal mentioned that he had a detailed dialogue with the Managing Director of the company regarding revival of supply of adequate basic raw materials to boost production.The industry should also take essential precautionary measures to avoid polluting the environment.Modernization and adoption of eco-friendly products will have to be looked into without waste of further time, he added.

Responsible care is another watchword for the industry, Shri Pal cautioned.More and more industries should also join this movement.Shri Pal further emphasized for submission of declaration of chemicals by the industry under Chemical Weapons Act and other such regulations, wherever necessary.Self regulation and voluntary adoption of defined measures cannot be substituted, Shri Pal observed. Strict action will be taken for any laxity in this regard.

While concluding, Shri Pal assured that his Dept. will extend all its support and co-operation to the justified demands from the industry for its enviable growth.

Prof.(Dr.) V.R. Kanetkar, Managing Committee member then introduced the Chief Guest Dr.Anil Kakodkar.He highlighted innumerable accolades and doctorates conferred on him by not less than 19 worldwide educational institutes and academia.

In his address Dr.Kakodkar thanked DMAI for inviting him as the Chief Guest for the function.At the outset, he conceded that he had very little to do with the colorant industry.He was reminiscent of his maiden experience with ICT (formerly UDCT), who had developed an expensive high-tech dye laser for atomic energy experiments for specific tuning of laser frequencies in the country to avoid any possible embargo.

While complimenting the colorant industry for its envious growth and market share of about 16%, which is similar to Indian population of 16% in the global population, Dr.Kakodkar stated that there is enough scope for further increasing India’s share in the global market by path setting ventures.This will improve the present unhealthy balance of payment situation of the country by catering to the global needs and bringing down the current A/C deficit considerably.

Dr. Kakodkar further drew parallel to Indian colorant industry with that of China.With huge resources available at their disposal as well as value added products, China has captured the global market and jacked up the raw material cost by throttling the supply chain.Literally, China has brought the world on their knees with their shrewd level of synergy.To compete in the world market for enhancing our share, what we need is to bring in a level of synergy. Dr.Kakodkar

quoted an instance of seamless tubes being manufactured for weapons like rifle billet, when their raw material cost was much more than the finished product.He advised to exercise caution to meet these challenges in a concerted environment.

Dr.Kakodkar further emphasized the paramount need for protection of the environment and meet pollution norms. He cited the example of Tirupur Textile industry and leather units in Tamilnad, wherein pollution controls were made more pragmatic after carrying out the necessary study in consultation with the Central Leather Research Institute located in a University Campus, the industry and the authorities and by putting infrastructure in place.This is a worthwhile example to emulate to find possible solution, wherein the industry, authority and research should work hand in hand.

Dr.Kakodkar advocated for closely working in co-ordination among the industry, R&D and educational institutions for technical upgradation.Another point Dr.Kakodkar touched upon was waste management by recycling of the waste to fall in line with pollution control norms.Alternate technology would be worthwhile to consider in this direction.Chemical industry in places like Ankleshwar has thrived after setting up of hazardous waste disposal facility. Large investment was motivated- may be by the Govt. or court.

While summing up his address, Dr.Kakodkar made a pointed reference that the industry has to meet with all the challenges, for which it has to be well prepared, including finding alternate technology.For maintaining a competitive edge in the international market for our products, importance of the linkage among education, research and industry cannot be overlooked.Institutions like ICT will have to play a vital role in inflow of young researchers, he observed.Dr. Kokadkar concluded wishing all the very best for the industry and the awardees both from the industry and academia.